14 DAY TRIAL // Google has changed its mind on deprecating third-party cookies in Chrome, postponing the initiative by almost two years, according to The Hacker News.
The delay is necessary as Google struggles to find the right solutions and at the same time discuss the issue with regulators. Moreover, publishers and the advertising industry should have sufficient time to make the necessary changes.
Chrome's Privacy Engineering Director, Vinay Goel, stated "While there's considerable progress with this initiative, it's become clear that more time is needed across the ecosystem to get this right".
"We believe that the Privacy Sandbox will provide the best privacy protections for everyone. By ensuring that the ecosystem can support their businesses without tracking individuals across the web, we can all ensure that free access to content continues”.
Privacy Sandbox
Following an investigation into Google's digital advertising business, the EU Commission ordered the company to ban third-party cookies in Chrome and replace it with the another set tools. Google was also instructed to assess how the implementation of such tools would affect online display advertising along with intermediation markets.
Released at the beginning of this year, Privacy Sandbox's goal is to replace third-party cookies and ensure privacy grouping people based on their interests. The CMA of the UK announced that it would be involved in designing and implementing Google's privacy sandbox plans, while accounting for the competition at the same time.
While Google waits, Safari and Firefox already blocked these ads
Third-party tracking cookies raise many privacy concerns since they enable marketers and ad platforms to identify and monitor users' online actions. Simply put, it makes it easier for businesses to do behavioral targeting. Other browsers such as Safari and Firefox have these advertisements blocked by default.
Google is placed in an unfair position by having to weigh the competing needs of strengthening user privacy against its dominating role in several businesses: search, web browser, and ad tech.